Around Campus: Monday, April 29, 2013

Upcoming Events

UNC to Hold 2013 Spring Commencement Ceremonies May 10-11

The University of Northern Colorado will hold ceremonies marking the 123rd spring commencement May 10-11 on campus.

The Graduate School ceremony to award specialist, master's and doctoral degrees will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 10, in Butler-Hancock Hall, south of the intersection of 14th Avenue and 20th Street.

About 275 spring graduates will receive degrees. Another 274 students expected to complete degree requirements this summer will also be included in the spring ceremony. UNC doesn't offer a summer commencement ceremony.

UNC alumnus John Rodwick, a board-certified executive coach and licensed psychologist with specialties in developmental, counseling and organizational psychology, will be the featured speaker.

Rodwick, who earned a Ph.D. with dual majors in management and psychology from UNC in 1966, works with top-level managers from national and multi-national corporations, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies as a board-certified executive coach for the Center for Creative Leadership.

He previously had a successful 30-year career at Pikes Peak Community College as both a business professor, dean of Developmental Studies and vice president for Student Relations.

The undergraduate commencement ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 11, at Nottingham Field, intersection of 17th Avenue and Reservoir Road. About 1,140 spring and 370 summer graduates will receive degrees.

UNC alumnus Kelly Johnson, senior vice president and chief nursing officer of Children's Hospital Colorado, will be the featured speaker.

After earning her bachelor's degree in nursing from UNC in 1982, Johnson earned a master's degree in family health care and neuroscience nursing from the University of California, and currently is a Ph.D. candidate with a focus on health outcomes at the University of Colorado.

She served as vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Craig Hospital in Denver for 15 years before assuming the same roles at Children's Hospital in 2008.

Recipient of the Colorado Nurses Association's Nightingale Award for Excellence in Human Caring in 2005, she has published numerous articles and book chapters and regularly presents at regional and national meetings.

Distinguished faculty and student leadership awards will also be presented during the ceremony.

Immigrant and Refugee Students to Read from Their New Book

Immigrant and refugee students from two Greeley high schools will read stories from a new book about their homelands and experiences coming to the U.S. during a reception and book signing from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, in Michener Library's Mari Michener Gallery.

UNC students in the President's Leadership, ESL endorsement and Cumbres teacher education programs collaborated with students, faculty and staff from Greeley West and Greeley Central high schools to publish the book, titled This is Our World: Be Proud of Your Pride.

The book was edited by Deborah Romero, associate professor of Hispanic Studies, with Jessica Cooney and Laura De Groote of Weld County School District 6.

Organizers hope to have copies of the book availble for purchase. You can read a sample of the book or purchase it here. Proceeds will be used to help fund the school district's family literacy projects and classes in its Newcomers program.

Former CEO of Oil Companies to Share Management Tips April 30

Dick Volk, former CEO of two regional divisions of publicly-traded worldwide mining and drilling company BHP Petroleum, will speak on his extensive experience as a manager applying management theory, from Frederick Taylor to Steven Covey, from 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in Milne Auditorium (Kepner 2050).

Volk holds a graduate degree in geology from the Colorado School of Mines and a law degree from the University of Denver. While he was at BHP, he was based in Houston, Texas, and Melbourne, Australia. He's also served as CEO of Denali Incorporated, an engineered fiberglass company, and Clinton Oil Company.

His presentation is free and open to the campus community.

Make Summer Count

Registration for Summer Session is now open in Ursa and does not require a PIN. Hundreds of undergraduate, graduate and Extended Studies courses will be offered in six-, eight- and 12-week formats both online and on campus. For more information about maximum course loads, tuition and courses offered, visit the Summer Session website.

RSVP Quilt Raffle Tickets Now Available

Tickets for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program's annual Quilt Raffle are available for purchase now through May 15 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the RSVP office in Brown Hall.

Tickets to win the queen-size quilt made by RSVP volunteers cost $1 each, 6 for $5, 12 for $10, 18 for $15 and 24 for $20. Cash or check only.

UNC School of Theatre Arts and Dance Receives National Accreditation

The National Association of Schools of Theatre has awarded full accreditation to the University of Northern Colorado School of Theatre Arts and Dance, making it one of only two undergraduate theater programs in Colorado to earn the designation.

The school offers a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts with acting, design technology and theatre studies concentrations; a bachelor's in Musical Theatre; and a bachelor's and a master's in Theatre Education for theater teachers.

The master's degree becomes the only NAST-accredited graduate degree program in the state.

Institutional accreditation is gained only through an extensive peer review process every six years.

NAST, founded in 1965, has approximately 178 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials.